10 Year Award – Award of Excellence: Lumiere, Sydney

Shining a Light on Livability

Perhaps only a few could have predicted the degree to which Lumiere Residences would so thoroughly encapsulate an Australian sensibility toward vertical architecture when it originally completed. Ten years on, the tower’s numerous green features and common-sense amenities have been replicated by many other residential towers throughout the country, validating its impact as a model for the future.

The dual emphasis on comfort and sustainability manifests is several key ways. Winter gardens in every unit offer an alternative to balconies, which often become cluttered with miscellaneous personal items. Instead, the internal-external spaces can be opened via an operable façade at any time of year, while maintaining a clean external appearance. Due to its structural composition, each of the tower’s tenants also enjoys a heightened sense of privacy, as the apartments are arranged in eight slender volumes circling a central core, with deep recessions separating what would have been shared walls. Meanwhile, a kit of sustainable elements allowed the tower to achieve a NABERS 3.5 Star rating, including water-efficient plumbing fixtures, double glazing, and operable window coverings.